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[zabber]

Thank you for the clarification on the bottom bouncing methods typically used on th Fraser.

You're welcome notracy (and anyone else that's new to this). Not sure what your experience with fishing for salmon is but if you're looking for opportunities I would suggest targeting pink salmon north of Vancouver. The fishing is HOT for them right now, and they will attack pretty much whatever you throw at them (i.e. they will actually BITE your lure). Too bad you can't get a licence for dogs because even they're limiting out Good way to introduce kids to salmon fishing. There is a decent, recent thread in the General Discussion section.


Cheers,
Z

[buck]

What does it take for DFO to close both the sockeye and chinook fisheries on the Fraser? Both sockeye and chinook numbers are dismal yet anglers are allowed to floss these fish into extinction.
It's interesting that you are not allowed to take sockeye that are in the millions, yet anglers are allowed to kill chinook that are only in the thousands. Next on the hit list will be the pinks in about 3 weeks. 

[farky]

False. Again, there are currently no recreational fisheries directed at sockeye. The fact that salmon supplement hasn't been updated to "closed," from "to be determined," doesn't mean you can fish for them.


But, whatever, go bounce your heart out and release those sox into the bathwater while going for your spring. I won't stop you, nor will DFO. Just don't go posting "why is there no more sockeye?" in 10 years.

Never said there was an opening for sockeye, was just making a point that until the DFO disallows the method of BB'ing it will continue. I very rarely fish the fraser, I find it more satisfying to go short float the other flows in the area. And as far as whining about not having sockeye in ten years, I am sure "ceremonial" fisheries will take care of that, considering most of their catch is sold before it is caught 

[TheFishingLad]

Dirty water? Short weight leader line? Use short Leader and a bobber to keep it off the bottom. If youre hitting the bobber, shorten it up. You will be surprised.

ALSO, I was on squamish Friday (Thursday?  /shrug) and watched all the old timers with their fly rods "enticing" Pinks to "bite" every cast with heavy sinking line and the long leader lines fly rods have. It was cute. Got into it with several guys keeping snagged fish or giving fish away because they were limited out. Also, with how many Pinks are in the river, and how frequently they were catching them, why would anyone need to drag a fish onto the shore to release it?  Sigh. So many people so little time to try to nicely point out things.

[JPW]

...why would anyone need to drag a fish onto the shore to release it?

How else can you be the envy of other anglers if you don't drag it at least 10' up the rocks (bonus points if you get it to the sand) to confirm that it is in fact "landed"!  If you released it in the water someone could question if you even really had a fish on. Plus it's virtually impossible to land a fish in the water anyway! You may not be aware, but reels don't work on the last 20' of line, which is why you must back 30' out of the water to consider it an official landing.

[glog]

its amazing the BS that comes out on this emotional topic, Statements like "  flossers will cause the extinction of a salmon species"  is not only stupid its utterly idiotic.  if you are going to make arguments and opinions at least get them factually correct. All the flossers combined catch a minute percentage of the total catch.  Go after the real threat that's the nets.  No mention of the huge catch of Chinook from the nets.

[zabber]

All the flossers combined catch a minute percentage of the total catch.

500 anglers/day * 30 days * 20 sox/angler =~ 300,000 sockeye in a month... That's about 5% of the run... That estimate may be a bit high but seems possible.

All the flossers combined catch a minute percentage of the total catch.  Go after the real threat that's the nets.  No mention of the huge catch of Chinook from the nets.

The subject at hand was "bottom bouncing whats the big deal?" not "who's the biggest threat to sockeye?"

I'm not here to save the sockeye (that's management's job, as far as I'm concerned); I was just answering a question. You seem to have a good idea of what needs to be done though, so if you can make a difference I'd support your cause.

[milo]

ALSO, I was on squamish Friday (Thursday?  /shrug) and watched all the old timers with their fly rods "enticing" Pinks to "bite" every cast with heavy sinking line and the long leader lines fly rods have.

I understand how frustrating it must be to watch a fly guy out-fish you 10:1. 

For the record, the weapon of choice is a floating line and a slow sinking tip with no more than a five foot tippet. The line must not drag on the bottom, which a heavy sinking line certainly would.

And yes, when the pinks are in in good numbers, catching a fish every cast is a no-brainer if your presentation is right.

[liketofish]

This is probably a troll from a bar fisherman who is out here to shame the bb folks for catching way too many sockeye while bb. I was at Snaggy bar on Friday. Very few sockeye caught by any one. I didn't hook one sockeye in 7 hours. Just focus on outside fast water and avoid slower near shore water and there will be next to zero sockeye hooked.

If the original poster is sincere about his method, post it out for others to try to see if there is merit to his claim. Fishing folks have tried different colours for eon and any special colour that works like miracle should have already been discovered. Sockeye does bite when they can see well.  So if the Fraser clears, bb will catch them in the mouth if you drift their travel lane and slowly release line to slow the drift, must like you bb the Vedder or Chehalis with shorter leader. But in cloudy water, it will be hard to say. I won't say fish cannot see 100% in coloured water. I used to believe so. But 20+ years ago, we fished the Gold for C&R steelhead. Under flooding water with almost yellowish water at a canyon pool, we hooked over 20 steelhead by bb on short leader a small spin & glo with orange body and white wing, the local called Gold River Special. Them steelhead must have 6th sense. They could feel the small spin & glo and hit them at random in flooding yellowish/brownish water. So when the poster mentioned he used a red spin & glo, it reminds me of the Gold River experience.

But I just don't buy there is a secret and magical colour out there not discovered yet by the fishing fraternity at large, and such colour is like a fish magnet to strike. They author has to reveal it for others to try it so see if this is just a troll or a undiscovered secret. But I agree with Rodney. If you catch so many sockeye, stop fishing. This is not a time to use the magic colour if it exists and if it is a magnet to sockeyes.

[TNAngler]

Wow, lot's of people get upset about this.  To answer some of the things...

The net drifting WASN'T OPEN.  They closed Sunday evening.  Sure, if they are open and drifting in front of us, I would probably consider it rude but move on.  The fact that they weren't currently open and he was trying to poach the fish, that was the issue.

If any of you think fish can't see in dirty water, you are mistaken.  They might not be able to see everything but if they can probably see or know what is going on within 10 feet of them if we can see a foot.

I don't suppose that, in the last 7 or so years I have been up there fishing for one week during the summer, that I have caught one fish outside the mouth?  That was a 15-20 pound chinook which we got in as quickly as we could and released.  There were a bunch of guys on the bar that were upset we released it.

When we anchor, we are out from shore about 15 feet, we are in 4 feet of water.  Most of the sockeye we hooked were a good thirty or forty feet or more out from the boat so 50+ feet or so from shore, in 12 feet of water.  If we wanted to catch more sockeye, we would let our lines drift closer in to shore where most of the sockeye run.  Heck, most of the sockeye jumping were less than 5 feet out from the boat and in toward shore from there.  Most of the boats around anchored right up next to shore to be able to fish where the sockeye were jumping.

Before the nets opened up, there were a bunch of sockeye in the river (relative to past years except 3 years ago).  There were sockeye jumping all over the place. Maybe that is what shoved some of them out into deeper water usually only inhabited by the bigger chinook.

You needn't worry anymore though.  I am back a long ways away and won't be fishing up there again this year. 

[Bently]

^^ I don't think your a "Troll" at all, but I DO think you'd probably make the "Beak" category. Why you ask ?? Ask any long time bar fisherman, they'll tell you that probably 99.99% of the Chinnook caught bar fishing the Fraser River are in no more than 5 to 10 feet of water, the sockeye are a deeper running fish as the look for the colder/faster water while the Chinnook like to travel in slower, more conservative waters.

Look at it this way, why do most of the Chinnook travel down the West Coast in 50 fathoms of water and shallower ? They like to hug the beach almost all the time, how do I know this ?? I was a commercial fisherman for 30 years and there isn't much you can tell me about what and where salmon travel.

As for your secret wool combo, that's near THE TOPS in the comic department when yakking about BB'ing and flossing. I've bottom bounced with pencil lead and 3 foot leaders with spin-n-glows, plain old dew worms, gooey bobs and the likes in the old days for Steelhead on many Island rivers, including the Gold and yes that was and can still be a great way to get fish but only if the river bottom and river flow is right for the said method.

To finish I'll just say this,.......Your fish were flossed, deal with it, accept it and carry on, your not the only one guilty of catching too many sockeye while looking for the Chinnook to retain and if this carries on we bar fishermen won't have a fishery to enjoy at all.

I wish the bouncing betty was never made but it is what it is so................

[Tex]

Edit - not going to bother.

[DanL]

500 anglers/day * 30 days * 20 sox/angler =~ 300,000 sockeye in a month... That's about 5% of the run... That estimate may be a bit high but seems possible.

I think you mean 2 fish/angler. so 30,000 in a month, which seems totally believable.

[Tex]

I think you mean 2 fish/angler. so 30,000 in a month, which seems totally believable.

Maybe he was talking Catch and Release, DanL?  I have no idea whether 20/fish/angler/day is realistic or not though as I don't BB.

[TNAngler]

I think you mean 2 fish/angler. so 30,000 in a month, which seems totally believable.

And yet the FN took 17k reported in a week which was a very light week.  And those 30k in a month that were released and might have a harder time getting up stream are going to destroy the fisheries?  Yes, I should be doing everything I can to help the run.  Unless the nets are gotten under control, my 50 measely fish won't amount to a hell of beans as the runs are going to be gone very soon anyways.  BBing as a whole is part of the problem but there are much more serious problems.

And for the week I was there, I would guess that number of fish per angler is very high in a month as many went without catching anything all day.